OLWG #45- Storytime

This week’s prompts are at the bottom. The work below was written for practice ’cause practice makes perfect.

Here’s how to play along, if you are unsure.

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“Tell us a story, Grampa!” the kids all sang as they danced around my legs.

I was afraid that I was going to trip over them so I agreed, “Go sit yourselves down around my chair,” I told them. “Except you Jenny,” I singled out one of the oldest granddaughters, who was maybe nine, “can you fetch me a beer out of the fridge, please honey.”

She tucked her curly hair behind her ear and nodded before she scurried off towards the kitchen, “Don’t start without me, Grampa. I’ll be right back.”

While she was gone I got the little ones settled in on the floor around my feet. I picked up the baby and pulled out my pocket square. I balanced him on my knee and wiped his nose. When Jenny came back she popped open the beer and took a little sip from the can.

“Hey,” I said smiling. She smiled back at me and handed me my drink before settling in at the back of the half circle on the floor.

I love when these kids are smiling.

“Did I ever tell you kids about when I used to be a pirate?”

“Yeeessss,” they all shout back.

“How about when I used to drive a tank in the army?”

“Yeeessss,” they all shout back again.

“What about when I was a cop?” I quizzed them.

They all looked at one another, puzzled. One of the tow headed twins, I think those boys belong to Lorraine, wiped his nose and shook his head.

“Don’t think so Grampa,” he said, “tell us that one.”

Another curly haired little girl, mighta been Jenny’s younger sister, asked “You were a policeman, Grampa?”

“Yes I was.” I leaned down and looked her in the eye, “but I got fired.”

“You got fired?” she asked incredulously. “What happened?”

“Well, I’ll tell you what happened. It was a day like most other days I had as a cop till sometime after midnight when I had just gotten done with a shootout. Some bad guys had ambushed me out on the highway and there had been bullets and hand grenades flying everywhere. When we all ran out of bullets we commenced to throwing rocks at one another till finally I won. I radioed for the paddy wagon and waited with the prisoners till O’Shaunessey came out to drive ‘em all back to the calaboose.”

“What’s a calaboose?” that tow headed boy asked. Jenny shushed him and it got quiet again. They were all waiting for the story to continue.

“A calaboose is a jailhouse Tim,” I answered him.

“I’m Tom,” he said back.

“Yeah, I knew that, I was just making sure you were listening. Anyway, I was driving around on the bad side of town and I spotted a man speeding down the road. He was going really fast. So I pulled him over.

“I asked him politely, ‘Are you aware of how fast you were going, sir?’ He tells me, ‘Yes I am. I’m trying to escape a robbery I was involved in.’ I raised my eyebrows and asked, ‘Were you the one being robbed?’

“The man casually replies, ‘No, I committed the robbery.’”

I looked around at all my wide eyed grandchildren. Even the baby seemed to be entranced. I continued the story.

“I asked him, ‘so you’re telling me you were speeding…AND committed a robbery?’
“’Yes,’ the man says quite calmly. ‘I have a hostage and all the money in the trunk of the car.’

“Well now he was making me angry. ‘Sir, I’m afraid you have to come with me.’ I said and I reached in the window to subdue him.

“’Don’t do that!’ the man yelled fearfully. ‘I’m scared you will find the gun in my glove compartment!’ I quickly pulled my hand out. ‘Wait here,’ I told him and I called for backup on my radio.

“Soon cops, cars, dogs, and helicopters were everywhere; they were all over the area. The man was cuffed and taken towards a waiting squad car. However, before he gets in, my Sergeant walks up to him and says, while gesturing at me, ‘Sir, this officer informed us that you had committed a robbery, had a hostage and stolen loot in the back of your car, and that you had a loaded gun in your glove compartment. However, we didn’t find any of those things in your car.’

“The man looks my Sergeant right in the eye and just as cool as a cucumber says, ‘Yeah, and I bet that liar told you that I was speeding too!’

“I got fired the very next day.”

“Whoa,” Jenny said, shaking her head, “That sucks!”

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This week’s prompts are:

1. at least fifty pounds
2. never my intention
3. Geronimo Greene

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Go ahead and dive in, set your imagination free!
Write something
Ready, Set, Go – you have 25 minutes, but if that is not possible, take as long as you need.

Have fun